best way to adjust valves

[whizzernick]

I am now ready to adjust valves on a 1934 ford with adjustable lifters. there is a hole to stop lifter from turning. I am looking for the easy way.

[19Fordy]

The SEARCH function is your friend. Read anything that has the words adjust valves in it. There is also a neat little tool which indexes the valves for easy adjustment.
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/searc...rchid=16341474

also

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+...hrome&ie=UTF-8

and

https://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-FLATHE...kAAOSwnh5b8tx5

[JSeery]

I do them one at a time with the lifter on the heal. There are methods that have you adjust multiple valves at a time. I wouldn't do it that way, but if you do be sure you know the duration of the cam you are using and that none of the lifters are on a ramp.

[drolston]

That hole to block the lifter from turning makes the job a whole lot easier. With the piston at the top of the compression stroke, neither valve in that cylinder is on any ramp. Start with any cylinder and then move to the next cylinder in the firing order and rotate the crank in its running direction to get that piston to the top of its' compression stroke.

[whizzernick]

my problem is how do i know when piston is at tdc .the heads are still on.

[bluardun]

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With the heads on, and the sparkplugs out, rotate the engine clockwise. With your finger over the sparkplug hole. The instant the piston is at top dead center the (air) pressure pushing against your finger will change to sucking. Too easy, and very accurate.

[eicke]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...ature=emb_logo

This worked to be easiest but the timing cover has to be off. Thanks Mart!

[JSeery]

I wouldn't attempt setting the valves without a TDC pointer and marker on the crankshaft pulley. It is fairly easy and quick to establish. Pull the plugs, insert a stop into the number one cylinder (anything soft will do, like a zip-tie large end). Make a pointer to attach to the front of the engine that is close to the pulley. Rotate the engine gently until the piston contacts the stop. Mark the pulley with something like chalk at the point of the pointer you installed. Rotate the engine in the opposite directing until the piston contacts the stop again and mark the pulley again. Half way between the two marks is TDC. Repeat the rotations a couple of times to double check and you have TDC.

Now, remove the stop from the cylinder and rotate the engine (normal directing of rotation) until it is on the compression stroke (air is coming out the sparkplug hole) and the pulley is lining up with the TDC mark. Now set the valves for the number one cylinder.

Rotate the engine 90 degrees and set the next set of valves in the firing order. Then rotate 90 and set the next set all the way through the timing order (two complete rotations of the crankshaft).

This doesn't put the lifter on the heel of the lobe, but it will work (at least on a stock cam).

Some examples of the pulley pointer.

[frnkeore]

My dad had a tool that bolted on, in place of the dist. It was made of aluminum and It had a wheel, about 4/5" in diameter and a index mark. It had 8 locations to index to and what valves were to be adjusted at those marks.

I don't have it now, it was lost, many years ago. Also, I don't remember who made it but, I haven't seen one, since then.

It could have been a Snap On tool, as he had almost all Snap On tools. I still have his tool box and many of his tools from the '40's.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by frnkeore

My dad had a tool that bolted on, in place of the dist. It was made of aluminum and It had a wheel, about 4/5" in diameter and a index mark. It had 8 locations to index to and what valves were to be adjusted at those marks.

I don't have it now, it was lost, many years ago. Also, I don't remember who made it but, I haven't seen one, since then.

It could have been a Snap On tool, as he had almost all Snap On tools. I still have his tool box and many of his tools from the '40's.

I have this tool. A couple of companies made them. I'll try to post a pict of it. It's a neat tool to have.

[frnkeore]

Originally Posted by Tim Ayers

I have this tool. A couple of companies made them. I'll try to post a pict of it. It's a neat tool to have.

Tim, if you have the time, I'd really like to see that tool.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by frnkeore

Tim, if you have the time, I'd really like to see that tool.

OK, I’ll try to post Picts. They’ve been acting funny lately.

[glennpm]

Hi,


Here's the link to the tool. If you have a crab type distributor, it doesn't work well. The set screw hole was not drilled properly on the one I bought. I fixed it but it's not worth the bother IMHO.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-FLATHE...kAAOSwnh5b8tx5

Originally Posted by frnkeore

Tim, if you have the time, I'd really like to see that tool.

[tubman]

Originally Posted by glennpm

Hi,


Here's the link to the tool. If you have a crab type distributor, it doesn't work well. The set screw hole was not drilled properly on the one I bought. I fixed it but it's not worth the bother IMHO.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-FLATHE...kAAOSwnh5b8tx5

That's the same one I have. After receiving it and looking at it, I'll probably never use it, but I like to support the hobby.

[frnkeore]

Originally Posted by glennpm

Hi,


Here's the link to the tool. If you have a crab type distributor, it doesn't work well. The set screw hole was not drilled properly on the one I bought. I fixed it but it's not worth the bother IMHO.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-FLATHE...kAAOSwnh5b8tx5

Thank you, Glenn but, that is not anywhere close to the one my dad had.

His was most likely, die cast aluminum (all smooth contours) (metal was white so, it could have been zink, also), the degree wheel (only marked for cylinder locations and valves) was machined and about 1/2" wide, with markings, so that you read it from above, the index line area, was also machined to match the wheel. The wheel was about the same diameter as a crab dist cap.

There was no set up time, it bolted in place of the dist and it had a off set key, just like the dist and was no harder to use, than it would be to set the points on a crab dist.

[GOSFAST]

We've found the best way here for us is to just following the firing order, turning the unit every 90*, we mark the pulley in 4 quadrants AFTER locating the #1 firing position!

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. I can give you a "tip" also when working with a fresh build. We adjust all 16 valves (one at a time) during the "mock-up" period (using some "checking" springs) where we can turn the cam by hand (no crank/pistons installed yet). You can get all the valves close enough to the actual setting needed with very little effort. This does NOT help on any already built/running units.

[tubman]

Originally Posted by frnkeore

My dad had a tool that bolted on, in place of the dist. It was made of aluminum and It had a wheel, about 4/5" in diameter and a index mark. It had 8 locations to index to and what valves were to be adjusted at those marks.

I don't have it now, it was lost, many years ago. Also, I don't remember who made it but, I haven't seen one, since then.

It could have been a Snap On tool, as he had almost all Snap On tools. I still have his tool box and many of his tools from the '40's.

There was a guy on the H.A.M.B a couple of years ago that sold a similar tool. It was an aluminum disc (about 4-5" in diameter). One side was for 8BA's and the other side was for the earlier engines. I bought one because I want to support guys that make things like this. Quite frankly, it was nice, but there are easier ways to do this.

[cas3]

good ol' bruce lancaster showed us how to make one in one of his many tutorials. god bless the man

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by cas3

good ol' bruce lancaster showed us how to make one in one of his many tutorials. god bless the man

Yep. Out of a tuna can

[Tinker]

Too think before the 8ba, we didn't have light marks to know what was going on, ohhh we didn't have timing guns. Few old posts on doing so. I use the timing bolt one with a file mark on the crank.


doing the zip tie method is a fine method. Head off with a dial indicator is better.


The two piston offset intake, exhaust adjustment of cam has been sort of explained.